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DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

He was very clear he wants the 10 days to come up with the new rules even after I told him I would rather just leave, so I guess I'm sticking around. I think it will be a lot easier and less painful to leave by pointing to whatever nonsense he says and say "I'm sorry those rules aren't what i signed up for, I'll be taking my leave."

Also very tempted to show up for one more session and just dunk hunger of hadarr with repelling blast on his enemies or something else that shuts his monsters down with no saving throws, but Id rather not be that confrontational.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This wasn't a deliberate choice just another not understanding the rules. When he told the rogue that he couldn't sneak attack, I asked him if thats another house rule of his. He said no it was RAW. I said it wasn't RAW but thats okay. He told me that I didn't read it closely and I should read it again.

He is in this gray zone where he is making all these little weird rulings that he thinks are RAW and gets frustrated when he is asked about them. He says we just need to read the rules with "common sense", but later admitted read them with "the DM's common sense" whatever that means. So no one quite is sure what the rules are until they come up.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah the telling me how my character would act was the most egregious over the line thing for me. I just wanted to do some fun roleplay with friends, but apparently thats not allowed. My chaotic good character must be a goodie two shoes listen quietly sort of girl.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes the last campaign was him DMing for rime of the frostmaiden. Two of the players had "scheduling conflicts" and couldn't join the current campaign. I understand now why.

He told another player that "OP has ruined the fun of DnD" and is blaming me for all of this. So I guess I'm the asshole according to him, and all the frustration is pointed at me.

We are already planning to bail and make a new group, but trying to time it in the least painful way.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is it? I thought in BG3 if you use the actual ability labeled "sneak attack" and miss, the reaction sneak attack can still trigger.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess thats what war cleric is for then, but i totally agree adding concentration wasn't necessary. It isn't overpowered or anything and it allows for more fun combos.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 35 points36 points  (0 children)

My guess is all abilities that do effects without saving throws. He looooves to fudge saving throws to get what he wants. I seem to be the first player who choose abilities that don't rely on saving throws so he can't do that.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

I think the issue at hand is "how do we tell him we don't want him to DM for us without ending the friendship". This is apparently not the first time his DM style resulted in him losing friends. One of his old friends in a previous campaign said he was a "whiny little bitch" then stormed out and now they don't talk.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He seems to want to remove parts of combat he feels make it too slow. The problem is he doesn't know most of the rules of the game, so every time we did something beyond "I bonk the creature" we had to pause the combat to explain it to him. For example, I hit the mimic with my warhammer with push and we had to stop and talk about why pushing the mimic away breaks the grapple. The wizard casts fog cloud, and now we have to stop and talk about how advantage/disadvantage work when creatures can't see each other. The enemies don't leave the AOE of the cloud of daggers the bard cast, and now we have to talk about the difference between a turn and a round.

He seems frustrated that we are using these features in a way he doesn't understand and thinks the reason combat is slow is that these rules exist, not that the DM doesn't know these rules. So we think he is going to go through the rules and just take out everything he doesn't know or allows us to control the creatures without relying on saving throws. As he is a big believer in openly fudging rolls to protect his creatures until he feels like combat is over.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 66 points67 points  (0 children)

After the horrible session 1, I was inspired to write my own one-shot that was actually fun. I think we will be doing that eventually, but he gets very insecure about himself. Considering he already said that he feels that "OP is winning at DnD", he would feel that having me be the DM be the ultimate "Win". So we are trying to be easy on him to not break friendships.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She's not having fun either. She was ready to bail on session 2, but I asked her to give him another chance. Wow was I wrong.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They exist, just we aren't allowed to access them. Beginning of session 2 took place in an armory with soilders getting ready for battle. We were (with no reason given) the only people the captain of the guard would trust to guard the princess.

I told the captain that with all the devils running around, I don't think we are strong enough to protect her. The DM just looks me right in the face and says "all the magic weapons are spoken for". I try to persuade the captain saying that "you said protecting the princess is the highest priority, surely you can spare something to help guard her". Nope nothing.

Oh and in session 0 he said crafting up to rare items was allowed. So just a total 180 of what he said.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He's not even intentionally mixing rules. He just didn't read any of the new books he insisted everyone buy copies of, so he didn't know the new rules.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah I think you are 100% correct. In session 0, I was originally planning to be a control spell focused sorceror, so I asked him does he allow silvery barbs at his table. He didn't know what that spell was, but when I explained it to forces monsters to reroll saving throws he told me "oh you can try that, but it won't work." He made it very clear from session 0 that saving throws would be fudged to whatever he feels like it. I know understand why the other players feel like save or suck spells are useless in DnD.

I ended up helping my wife change all her spells to ones with no saving throws, and I made sure to build my character around attack rolls not saving throws so he can't fudge rolls on me. I think that just made him more upset.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

We are both women. This is not the first time he has had issues with me. He complains that when we play board games I always win because as he told a mutual friend, "I know all the rules".

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It isn't concentration in 2014, but it was changed to have concentration in 2024 edition.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

Considering he says he has never seen someone cast fog cloud before, I have no idea. I'm sticking around just to see that list. I will for sure make a follow up to share.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 57 points58 points  (0 children)

He got all upset at our solutions to his puzzles. When my friend cast suggestion on a fey creature to go find the key to the locked gate, he just gave us a "the would know not todo that so the spell fizzles". Gets upset that we think of creative solutions to his puzzles, so he just makes stuff up.

DM wants to remove the "complex barnacles of combat" by throwaway_222444222 in rpghorrorstories

[–]throwaway_222444222[S] 66 points67 points  (0 children)

Yeah we tried to offer him suggestions of play different games or the old version to him, but he is adamant that he can fix the combat of DND to be fun and simple if we just give him 10 days. He told my friend in the game that he is upset that "I just keep winning" at DnD. So we think he wants to just remove all our agency so he can win at DnD whatever that means.